Thursday, June 2, 2011

Sanctacaris.

Sanctarcaris was a 4" predatory arthropod that hunted on the Cambrian sea floor of what is now the Burgess Shale. It fed on creatures such as Opabinia, Marrella, and trilobites.

Sanctacaris had a wide, flattened head, ten finger-like limbs that forced food into its mouth, and a powerful tail called a telson. Sanctacaris, like other swimming arthropods of the Cambrian seas, had undulating fins along its side which helped it swim.

Sanctacaris also had predators. Its predators were Hurdia Victoria, probably Leanchoilia, and all species of Anomalcaris,

There's an interesting story behind the name of this one: the paleontologist who discovered it nicknamed it "Santa Claws". Its official Latin name means "Saintly Crab". The "sancta-" part and "Santa" are both from the Latin for "saint", and the word "-caris" of course shows up in the names of lots of other Burgess creatures.

I just came across your blog searching for Sanctacaris Images on the web. Really well done! Great to see that some young guys still like paleontology (I mean not only the hard dinosaur stuff) and I hope you may one day study paleontology?! Best, Daniel Marty, Paleontologist, Switzerland

Note From the Typist

Art started writing this blog at age seven and completed the majority of the work before he turned nine. He did his own research and for a long time dictated the blog entries to me, his mother. I typed exactly what he said and did my best to spell everything correctly.

For a glimpse into the early blogging process, check out the video below.